Development of a Method and an Assessment Construct for Person-Centered Translation of Dementia Public Stigma Scales

There are almost no available methods and assessment constructs for person-centered translation of dementia public stigma scales. This study aims to develop such a method and such an assessment construct by translating the Dementia Public Stigma Scale (DPSS) into Chinese. We translated the DPSS following three major steps: (1) literal translation and mistranslation identification; (2) panel discussions of items with problematic translations; and (3) the final checking of the translated scale. Informed by the translation and adaptation process, we then developed a method for person-centered translation of dementia public stigma scales. Based on this method and our panel discussions, we finally proposed a three-item assessment construct for the quality evaluation of the translation of dementia public stigma scales. Forward and backward translation did not work sufficiently in dementia public stigma scale translation. Mistranslations were induced by three major causes, including confusion caused by multiple Chinese meanings of the immediate Chinese direct translation, the lack of immediate Chinese direct translation because of varying positive/negative emotions attached to multiple translations, and the lack of culture-specific idioms in Chinese. Based on these factors, we proposed a three-item dementia translation assessment construct. Following this assessment tool, we determined the best Chinese version that could be further tested for its psychometric properties among the public. A method and an assessment construct for person-centered translation of dementia public stigma scales were developed. Such a method and such an assessment construct could be followed in the translation and translation evaluation of dementia public stigma scales.